BUILDING ELEMENTS DOORS

DEFINITION OF DOORS
Adooris a moving structure used to block off, and allow access
to, an entrance to or within an enclosed space, such as a building
or vehicle. Similar exterior structures are calledgates.
Typically doors have an interior side that faces the inside of a
space and an exterior side that faces the outside of that space.
While in some cases the interior side of a door may match its
exterior side, in other cases there are sharp contrasts between the
two sides, such as in the case of thevehicle door. Doors normally
consist of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or spins
inside of a space.

When open, doors admitpeople,animals,ventilationorlight.

The door is used to control the physicalatmospherewithin a space by
enclosing theair drafts, so that interiors may be more effectively heated
or cooled. Doors are significant in preventing the spread offire. They
also act as a barrier to noise. Many doors are equipped with locking
mechanisms to allow entrance to certain people and keep out others. As
a form of courtesy and civility, people often knock before opening a door
and entering a room.
Doors also have anaestheticrole in creating an impression of what lies
beyond. Doors are oftensymbolicallyendowed withritualpurposes, and
the guarding or receiving of thekeysto a door, or being granted access
to a door can have special significance. Similarly, doors and doorways
frequently appear inmetaphoricalorallegoricalsituations,literatureand
the arts, often as a portent of change.

TYPES OF DOORS
1) Hinged doors
2) Bi-fold doors
3) French doors
4) Dutch doors or stable doors
5) Fire doors

IMAGES FOR HINGED DOORS

1) HINGED DOORS
A hinged door typically consists of either a solid wooden panel door
or hollow-cored door affixed to adoor jambwith two or more
hinges. Additional hinges are generally required to support taller
doors, and stronger, sturdier hinges are required for weightier
doors.
The door may have a knob or lever entry and be lockable or may
simply be pushed or pulled open, depending on where it's installed
and for what purpose. Self-closing door mechanisms are sometimes
found attached to this type of door.

ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES
Advantages
Low maintenance
Common, plentiful and
affordable
Easily customised

Disadvantages
Requires swing room to
open and close
Hinges may require
(infrequent) maintenance
and oiling

2) BI-FOLD DOORS
A bi-fold door consists of two panels attached by hinges, which
folds in the middle when opened.
Often, the top corner of the outermost door panel is attached to a
rail running across the upper part of the door frame, so that it
simply 'slides' along the width of the doorway.
The bi-fold door design requires much less space to operate than a
hinged door does, as it will only take up half as much room when
it's fully ajar, and has a much smaller swing arc. These doors are
often used where space is at a premium, but they can also make for
an interesting feature in their own right.
Bi-fold doors are most commonly made of wood, but can also be
made of metal or glass.

ADVANTAGE
Smaller opening space than a hinged door
Pleasant variation on basic hinged door
Many different configurations available
Large bi-fold doors allow broad openings onto outdoor spaces

DISADVANTAGES
More prone to hinge damage than other types
More hinges means more moving parts, and more maintenance

FRENCH DOOR
A French door is a hinged door, usually found in pairs, that consists
of light wooden joinery framing large panels of glass or other
transparent material. This allows plenty of light into a room, and
provides a nice, unobstructed view outside.
These doors are typically outside facing, so will generally swing
inwards. Double French doors are normally locked by bolting the
upper and lower parts of each door, as well as using a conventional
lever or knob handle lock or deadbolt.

ADVANTAGE
DISADVANTAGE

Allows more light and unobstructed views

Lightweight and unobtrusive

Fragile construction compared to solid doors, easily damaged

Glass must be regularly cleaned